


Under The Garden's Light

by lemon_lordess



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Coming of Age, Consent, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Falling In Love, Fanfiction, Female Protagonist, Fire Nation (Avatar), Fire Nation Royal Family, Firebending & Firebenders, Firelord Zuko (Avatar), First Time, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Love, Love Confessions, Outdoor Sex, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Past Torture, Post-100 Year War (Avatar TV), Post-Avatar: The Last Airbender, Protective Zuko (Avatar), Rough Sex, Sex, Smut, Top Zuko (Avatar), Trauma, Vanilla, Water Tribe(s) (Avatar), Waterbending & Waterbenders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:49:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29148480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemon_lordess/pseuds/lemon_lordess
Summary: ✨OC IN EARLY DEVELOPMENT PLEASE READ ✨Diushi is a wanderer, daughter of deceased southern water tribe commoner who sacrificed the identity of another young waterbender in order to save her own daughter from death at the hands of the fire nation, and a deceitful fire nation general who took control of her life, masquerading her as just another young firebender and trapping her in the prison of his estate. From the day she was born, her mastery at the bending of two clashing elements cost great pain and misfortune in her miserable life, from the loss of her family, to that of her freedom, to scars both physical and emotional bearing weight on her soul. As much pain she had endured however, it was that same force that led her spirit to cross paths with the young Fire Lord Zuko after her father's defeat at the last battle of Ba Sing Se. One night, after following her out to the palace courtyard during a royal banquet, the two, now friends after months of their lives having been intertwined, share a magical night under the light of the garden torches.
Relationships: Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Mai & Zuko (Avatar), Mai/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka & Suki (Avatar), Sokka & Yue (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Sokka/Yue (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar) & Original Character(s), Zuko (Avatar) & Reader, Zuko (Avatar)/Original Character(s), Zuko (Avatar)/Original Female Character(s), Zuko (Avatar)/Reader
Kudos: 4





	Under The Garden's Light

**Author's Note:**

> Author's notes:  
> Hello, this is my first story, one that I wrote a long time ago and wish to one day continue! My beloved character's backstory has all been thought out and planned, but I figured it would be better to start off this story as a one shot and build from there if desired by readers! This is a smut so if you are not comfortable with these kinds of stories, I recommend you skip out. I also think it'd be good to mention that this story takes place after the comic "Smoke and Shadow" and that Zuko is about 19-20, Diushi 18. Please enjoy! 💕

[Hope you all enjoy this decently long one-shot! It's my first so please be gentle. Always feel free to let me know if you want more! -Lemon Lordess] 

Duishi sat on her knees, the silky fabric of her robe falling around her in heaps of warm colors. Quietly, she knelt, entranced by the mesmerizing ripples the lilies left in the water of the pond as she placed them, one by one on top of the gleaming water. The tops of their leaves almost felt like a cheap velvet in the pads of her fingers. A family of turtle ducks peered curiously at her delicate movements, utterly captivated by the human's actions. As she offered her hand out to the creatures, a dark reflection loomed its way onto the glistening water. The largest of the group let out a chirp of waring, scattering off with the rest all following suit. 

"I figured I'd find you here."

Duishi said nothing, just stared blankly at the water in front of her. It wasn't as if she didn't contain an urge to talk, quite the contrary in actuality, but rather she was at an utter loss for words. She found she could do nothing except lose herself in the Moon's reflection. When her hand found its way to her cheek as usual, she found her fingers had become damp with tears. The hollow plunk of a single drop finding its way to the pond and sending ripples running through the water, released her from the spell she had been binded by.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Zuko asked, filling in the space next to her.

"Gorgeous," she murmured, still unsure of whether she was merely whispering to herself or confirming his remark. 

"I know her, you know?" 

Duishi turned to look at him, a mask of confusion sweeping it's way onto her face.

"Who? You couldn't possibly mean the mama turtleduck, could you?"

Even through the sarcastic rasp of his voice, a genuine chuckle found its way into the night air. 

"Haha, no, not exactly. Although I guess you could say I do" 

"So I guess you must escape these royal parties often then, huh?"

"Yeah", he admitted, looking down at a timid turtle turtleduck, peering at the two behind a long blade of mossy grass, "I don't usually stay long unless my friends are here. Otherwise, it's all just formal adult stuff. It can start feeling repetitive after a while, like you don't know anyone, but the only reason they bother talking to you is because of the power your position holds. It gets.... lonely"

Diushi's mind flooded with memories all at once, and for a moment, she remained looking down, lost in thought.  
"Yeah, I know the feeling" she said finally. She unclenched her hands, realizing she'd been clutching the fabric of her robe with prodigious strength. Zuko's eyes then widened as realization struck him.

"Oh! That's right, I'm sorry, I didn't mean any-"

"Don't worry about it," she cut in, weighing in a compassionate smirk. The sound of elongated silence was once again carried by the wind through the courtyard. Her eyes, resting on the moon, allowed another thought to conjure its way into conversation.

"So, do I get to know who 'her' is?"

"Huh? Oh right! Well, you're looking right at her." A flame bolt went off in her head.

"The Moon? Come on Zuko, all your other adventures have been plausible, but this one has got to be the farthest stretch."

"No really, I wish you were right, but it's true," he lamented, looking up at the glowing, full-bodied plate up in the sky, "She was my best bud's first girlfriend... until she turned into the Moon."

"Whoa," her gaze returned to the pond, not wanting to ponder on the thought of a young girl watching them speak of her very own past life, "That's tough"

"Yeah. The worst part is, I probably could have done something to save her too, if I wasn't so damn selfish."

Diushi shook away her intrusive thoughts, rubbing the lush grass at hand between her fingers. 

"Again, sadly I know the feeling... or through second hand I guess."

The two once more left a silence behind. This one so thick, it could be cut like soft soy butter. Was this her fault? Conversation used to flow like water between them. Was this a by-product of the kiss she had instigated? Or was it simply the lonesome aura weighing down the atmosphere? Damn, where's Ty Lee when you need her?  
"Maybe that's the only good that came out of this war, everyone finding their people. I mean, you have your gang, and Sokka's still going strong with that head bodyguard of yours."

"Maybe for me, but what did you get out of that mess? All I brought to the refugees of Ba Sing Se was despair."

"Freedom," the word left her mouth solemnly.

"Oh! Right. You'd think after almost 3 years of this new and improved firelord stuff I'd be better at being good, huh?"

Wow, I knew I was dense, but never this much!  
Zuko swallowed, wanting no less than to be engulfed by a roaring ball of fire. His mind seemed to blank around her, his mindset of people approaching him simply for being royalty was something he's gotten grossly accustomed to it seemed. He just couldn't seem to help it. There was something about her, something he knew he'd felt before, and something he never thought he'd let himself feel again. Yet, here they were, making conversation under the light of a full moon, talking about their deepest regrets and such. It seemed so easy with her, yet somehow impossible altogether. Diushi chuckled, a genuine smile slipping the serious mask from her face. 

"Well, there's that... and you," she felt her face bloom with crimson, noticing the interlocking of Zuko's hand in hers. The pair turned to lock eyes, looking blankly at each other for what dragged on like an excruciating eternity. Sudden panic set in, her hand escaping the embrace to aid the other in covering her otherwise compromised appearance.

"Uh-Anyway...um I..." as she continued to flub out her sorry excuses for words, she dug deep into the closet of her brain, desperate for any kind of subject changing conversation. Instead, what she emerged with was a fiendish idea. In the place where her serious expression rested, a seemingly innocent look took its place.

"So, I hear you're a fox with the girls around here," she said a casually

Zuko's eyes widened, his cheeks suddenly burning with color. She tried hard not to let through a malicious giggle. Her eye contact didn't dare to dwindle, pleased to hear his reaction.

"Uh... I mean I only...uh.."

There was nothing more powerful than looking someone dead in the eye putting them at a loss of words, and in turn, making them stutter.

"I'm sure that's only a rumor anyway," she gloated, "as you said before, you hold a lot of pristine power, but not so much with the ladies? I guess that's where Sokka and Aang have the upper hand."

"That's not true!" He objected angrily, "being Firelord comes with a lot of attention from girls too, you know!"

"Really?" she hissed, loving the way his face puffed up when he got angry. It's cute in a way, she thought, her eyes now dancing their way down to his waist. "Why don't you prove it to me then?"

In one swift movement, she glided her way onto him, pressing her knees to his legs and her arms on his wrists. It seemed more like a wrestling strategy from afar, but Duishi relaxed her body, softened her breathing, leaving little room for the misinterpretation of motivation. In her defense, she hadn't exactly gotten to seduce many princes in her time. Zuko furrowed his brow in confusion, face still gushing red.

"What are you..."

With arms crossed, she sat up straight as she straddled him, arching her brows and tilting her head. He couldn't possibly be that dense, could he?  
"Oh!" he exclaimed, chuckling at himself for his stupidity a bit before quickly clearing his throat and looking up at her intensely. 

"So?" Diushi asked, her finger hovering over the tie of his robe.

"You're on," he affirmed, taking the power for himself and flipping her over.

He nibbled at her ear, sending shutters down her spine as his hot breath trailed from her neck down to her chest. His finger caught in a bow, pulled the loose tie of her robe, allowing the silk to slip off her body with grace. He delicately unwove the many layers of sarashi securing her breasts to her chest with his fingertips, gliding his lips down with the soft fabric. As far as she knew, he had practically undressed her with his eyes, the flames of lust growing larger inside of them with every touch. The pads of his fingers danced along her skin and she held herself back from emitting a breathy moan, swallowing a sound almost as soon as it formed in her lips. Zuko chuckled, his eyes glaring up at her without separating his mouth from her skin.

"It's alright," he mouthed onto her stomach, "Wake the whole palace if you have to." The light wavering of her breath caressed his ear like a song he never knew he needed to hear. 

"Only if you make me," she grinned, trying to hide her pleasure under a wicked tone. 

"If you insist."

He delicately ran his fingers between the ripples of skin marking the ends of her stomach and the beginnings of her pelvic girdle. For a moment he paused, stroking her sensitive center through her sarashi. His touch, that and the sound of his airy breaths, caused her to wither under his touch.

"Fuck, Zuko," she moaned, the fire in her veins rushing to her hands as she gripped the grass beneath her tightly. His hands continued their trail back up to her hips holding them gently in his grasp. He lay his head close to hers, letting one hand linger on her body while he covered her mouth with the other. 

"Shhh..." he cood, playing with her lip. Ripples of goosebumps ran their way through her as he hid his face in her neck. Her hair's sweet smell of peach blossoms soothed his pulsing head. 

"Save your voice for when I make you use it."

Holy shit, she thought, I never thought he'd be this good.

His mouth played with the soft skin of her neck, leaving a trail of dark marks all along her collarbone. 

"You tease," she barely managed to utter, breathless from the fluttering of the lusty butterflies gliding through her.

She wanted him, all of him, his pain and his love and his anger. She wanted it all. She wrapped her arms around his back, her fingers running their way up the ridges of his spine through the slick silk of his robe. She let go a soft whine as his tongue ran over the tip of her breast. The sound filled him with content. Only she deserved every ounce of his attention, all the air in his lungs. And he hoped that in return, he deserved her too. Diushi let go a loud whimper. Zuko felt his head being pulled back for a moment. He met her eyes, brushing away the strands of black hair covering her right one. 

"Oh-I'm sorry, do you want me to stop? Did I hurt you?"

She shook her head, now trailing her finger along the ridges of his scar. She pulled him into a kiss, her right hand combing through his hair as she held his head close.

"I need you Zuko," she breathed.

Her words sent ripples down his spine and he was almost positive she could feel him shiver. The heat of desire was thick on her skin, and she felt herself giving in to the ecstasy. He slid his way down to her center again, the dancing flames of the torches in the garden flickered to the rhythm of her quickening breath. Hastily, she tugged on the fabric of Zuko's shirt, letting her body do the begging for her. 

"Slow down," he murmured, allowing the sound to reverberate into her skin. 

"Oh, I'm sorry firelord," she lamented wickedly, "I didn't realize I was the only one allowed to strip,"

"Shut up," he groaned sarcastically, ripping off his robe and tossing it aside to the flowers.

Diushi giggled as he lifted her head off the ground to swoop her hair onto one of her shoulders, the lush grass tickling the back of her neck as he did. She looked up to see him gazing seriously into her eyes.

"What?" She asked, furrowing her eyebrows in response.

He kissed her forehead, trailing his fingers along her scar, mimicking her caresses from before. It was then he realized he never felt this feeling anymore. His heart had only spoken out for Mai, and even what he felt was a spark with Katara, but after Mei broke his heart for faults of his own stupidity, he had never managed to feel that way again. Until now. Duishi had opened him up again, brought down his shell after what he thought would be the last time he'd open it. The moon glowed softly above them, casting a warm shadow that made her right eye glow like a polished ruby. Her skin shone under the dancing torches lighting the passageways surrounding the garden. She truly was gorgeous. 

"You've never let me see how beautiful you are until now."

She felt the blood rush to her cheeks, attempting to hide her blushing by shielding her chest with her arms. She was no porcelain doll like Mai, no pale, slim, beauty with clear skin and perfectly groomed black hair. Quite the opposite actually. Her honey tan skin, corrugated by scars that surrounded her whole body and her wide rib cage were the roots of her deepest insecurities. 

Monkey feathers! He was right; he had never seen her so exposed, and neither had anyone else for that matter. It wasn't even the sensuality of it that embarrassed her, no, it was the simple fact that no one had even seen her with her weaknesses out for judgement, her scars out in the open. Zuko however, got all of it in one night. She slowly allowed him to lower her arms back down, guiding them kindly. 

"Don't worry," he smiled lovingly, "I'll make it worth your while."

For a moment, he recollected the night he and Mai had spent here, in this same garden, she had explained to him all the reasons why she had saved herself for his return as they both lay under the blanket of the night, her head rested on his chest. For a moment, Zuko felt guilty. He didn't want to hurt Diushi with his carelessness like he had so many before, he didn't want to leave another scar, he didn't want to lose her, he-

"I love you, Zuko."

For a minute, he stared at her, dazed, as if those words were completely new to him, which to his credit, wasn't too far off from the truth. He cupped her chin in his hand, his thumb caressing her cheek as he lay his forehead on hers. She knew she meant it, or at least she thought she did. To her, the definition of love was whatever it was to her and nothing else. And whatever it happened to be was what she felt for Zuko.

"Diushi I-"

"Shhh," she laid a soft finger on his lip "Don't say anything yet, show me instead"

His head went fizzy with joy. If he could give her the world, all four elements, the kingdoms, the beauty of all that existed, he would. And above all, pleasure, he wanted her to be able to fly in the confinement of his embrace.  
Diushi's body felt livid, angry at his slow, attentive pace. She, however, was not, so when he finally began to slide down her sarishi from her hips, she couldn't help but enjoy every small contact from his fingers. In one lavish movement, he unwove the fabric from her body completely, exposing her to the night's cool breeze. His thumb ran painfully slow circles around her clit, making her bite her lip and arch her back. She saw stars as the flames of the surrounding torches danced erratically. His free hand rested under her back, able to feel the deep rise and fall of her chest. She let in a melodic gasp as his tongue met the walls of her inner labia. 

"Zuko" she moaned, her voice now small and weak.  
Her eyes met his, their ember glint growing larger in the light of the courtyard. The sound rang gleefully in his ears and he flashed a quick, fiendish grin. Her body trembled at the waves of pleasure his tongue sent rippling through her body. She felt herself flying, her small sounds of enjoyment echoing into a field of only red. She reached for his hair, running her fingers through it roughly, yet still careful not to harm her Firelord. Her eyesight went blurry as Zuko planted wet kisses all over her sensitive areas. She was so busy gawking at a glinting light in her euphoric red sky, barely visible through the clouds in her head, that she audibly let in a sharp gasp when she felt Zuko's tongue move inside her. His loving touch on the inside of her thighs made her fall apart almost immediately, the glinting light returning once again, now a ray, blinding her from the endless fields of red growing before her. She let him rest her legs on his shoulders, her back arching so far she knew her head had to be the only part of her body that stayed grounded. Otherwise, she was flying, her body being shot upwards, and a loud cry of pleasure escaped from her lungs. The light was so blinding it hurt, blasting her thoughts up into orbit, far away from the world and the courtyard. She couldn't even feel her body, that of Zuko, the prickle of the lush grass, or the fingers that he'd been pulsing in and out of her to make her feel this way. For what could've only been a second, she lived an eternity among the clouds, the beam of light allowing her to stay forever in it's hypnotic trance. Then, as fast as she had flown, she began to fall. The inside of her body began to cave, as if mimicking the dreams she knew too well where you feel yourself growing closer and closer to the ground until you awaken in a pool of your own sweat, out of breath and terrified about having barely grazed death's hand. Yet, here, she had a safety net. The red in the sky vanished, the roar of the torches surrounding them, now acting as blazes, exploded into pillars of flame, all with one last airy cry of ecstasy. She felt herself come undone around his fingers, his other hand, having caught her, laying delicately on the groove of the back of her neck.

"You taste amazing." he grinned up at her, slowly ducking his head back out from it's place between her legs. Through her breathless state and the remaining twitching of her core, she managed to give him a soft agreeing smirk. 

"Beautiful," he sighed.

"Didn't we already have this conversation about her?" 

"I wasn't talking about her, my Firelady." he whispered, the raspiness of his voice welling up a deep excitement in Diushi. All her life, people had hurt her for their own pleasure, for their own satisfaction. It was about time she took it back. She placed a finger between their lips as he leaned in to kiss her.

"Zuko, is it not true that betrothal necklaces are as commonly given to brides here in the Fire Nation as they are in the water tribes?" Her eyes glimmered with curiosity, eyelashes batted with innocence. 

"Well, the groom is expected to give his wife-to-be some sort of tasteful and appropriately expensive gift before they're married, why?"

"Even in the case of a Firelord?" he nodded his head, his cheeks painted a bright coat of pink, 

"Uh... yeah usually even more so."

"In that case," she hummed, her red eye flaming with the reflection of the fire surrounding them, flashing like a stained glass window crafted by an expert welder glimmers in the light of the sun, "I think it's time you gave me a necklace."

Her regal hands snuck their way onto his, guiding them abrasively to her neck. Zuko's eyes remained wide for a moment, the redness of his face now deeper than that of a young fire lily. She couldn't possibly want him to hurt her, did she? The young girl he thought to be so fragile, asking him to be so rough with her, to play with her body like this, dominate her in such a way.

"It's all right," she cooed, gently gliding his fingers to the pressure points of her throat, "I want you."

Knowing now her longing, Zuko's voice dropped to a low growl.

"Well then, aren't you a big girl now?"

His words set off an alarm in her head, her hands letting go of his, and instead running her fingers down the muscles of his abdomen, twirling them between the fabric of his pants and his skin. A flare set ablaze in his head too, the lustful impulse of kissing her too great to resist any longer. Their mouths collided, tongues gliding in a delegate dance, bringing their bodies closer into each other. Despite that, Diushi clasped her hand onto the back of his neck, forcing his warmth closer to her naked body, only releasing the tension between their mouths to lean in closer to his ear.  
"Harder." The hairs in the back of his neck sprung up, but he obliged, tightening his grip around her. Her eyes gleamed with incredulous delight at the sight of the muscles in his arms tensing up for her. Zuko couldn't help but feel aroused at the sound of her soft voice begging for him. At its worst, it confused him, her choice to plead him to take her, but at best, he plunged deeper into her grasps with every candied moan of his name. Using her free hand, she continued to run her fingers through the toned muscles of his body, only grazing the hem of his pants in a way ever so wickedly light.

"Don't tease me," he growled 

"Then don't be so slow," her fiendish giggles sent flutters shooting up his body.

Rather impatiently, he released his grip, considerably leaving one hand behind to maintain her satisfaction, rushing the other to his crotch. As briskly as he had tossed off his robe, he untied his loose bottoms from his hips, now sweating with anticipation. The hot-blooded battle between their mouths continued to bind her closer and closer to her Firelord's heart. The burning of his body against hers was like no other feeling she'd ever felt before. His hair soothed the palm of her minute hand as she continued to run her fingers through the black waves, melting into his grasp with every sway of her hips. 

"Are you sure you want this?" Zuko whispered delicately in her ear, a gust of his hot breath on her neck sending waves of excitement flooding their way through her body. All of a sudden however, she realized his voice was tender and genuine. He lovingly lifted her head up to meet his eyes with the tip of his finger. With the naivety of a young penguin leaving the comfort of their nest for the first time, he trailed his fingers along the discolored skin of her scar, allowing their tips to follow every small crevice. Then, he led them down her neck, falling smoothly like a waterfall, and onto her chest. His fingers lingered there, caressing her imperfections like a rare treasure. 

The question wrung in her ears. She knew the way she felt, but was he ready? Was he sure? All her life, she'd been hurt by the people she'd been taught to love, taught to trust. Or rather, manipulated into love, manipulated into trust. Her father, her brother, even her mother, who had done everything she could to save her, ultimately brought her more pain than she could have ever imagined. But it wasn't anywhere near that with Zuko, and no matter how hard the intrusive spirits in her head wailed for her to fear his inevitable betrayal, she knew that to be the truth. Even when given the chance, even when she directly asked him to do something that could possibly hurt her, he was hesitant. For the first time in her life, Duishi found someone who didn't exist to bring her only pain. She let out a shaky breath, weaving her hand into Zuko's, still laying on her scar. She looked down at them, her feeble hand struggling to blanket his. 

"Yes."

The tender sound of her voice broke Zuko away from the trance her body had put him under

"Alright then. Don't say I didn't warn you." He gently guided both their hands to her face. His eyes burned deep into hers once more, the warm colors of hers in his' reflection faded into a deep ombre.

"Hold onto me," he told her, "I'll keep you safe, don't be scared."

The comment confused her for a moment, until she focused enough on her frame to realize she was shaking, her body behaving as if it were the middle of an arctic winter, despite the undeniable warmth she felt both in her heart and all around her. She did as she was told, grasping the muscles of his back with respectable tenacity. She hugged his body close, as if terrified he would disappear or simply vanish from her grasp. The sudden shock of new warmth between her legs sent a small jolt of surprise up her spine. Meekly, she surrendered a sharp gasp. 

"Shhh..." he cooed, "it's just me."

The warmth, she realized, was growing into the elegant shape of his hands, relaxing her outside walls. She found herself getting lost in the scent of his hair, it had laid in the garden so long, the whiff of fresh grass became caught in its midst. At some point, she felt the urge to focus on the grooves of the spine in which her fingers laid resting. The torches dimmed around them as she let her fear melt away. Perhaps it was purley that, her disquiet causing her mind to wander so easily. Either way she couldn't help but feel at ease in his clutches. His body felt so warm and mellow, the same way a fur quilt in a winter storm would feel. 

A soft gasp escaped her mouth as she felt him plunge deep inside of her. She felt herself tense up, her walls throbbing around him. Her fingernails dug into his back, the feeling of pleasure already too much to bear.

"Zuko!" she moaned intensively, only to realize small clouds of fiery air escaped her mouth as she did so. A swarm of butterflies was set free, leading her back up into the sky. Her whole body burned, yet she continued to shiver, whether with pleasure or anxiety, she didn't care to choose. The ground beneath them was gone and all she could feel was her body pulled close to his, both of them flying up into a listless red abyss. Her heart raced in her chest, pulsing against her ribcage, when she realized he was going deeper inside of her with every sway of his hips. Her back contorted onto itself, her head flying back into moans enthralled in ecstasy, his cock reaching a part of her she didn't know had the capability to make her lose total control of her body. 

"Fuck," he groaned, digging his head into her neck, "You're so damn perfect, Ishi, never leave me!"

His words sent her into orbit, the growl in his voice igniting a firework within her, excitement burning her throat dry. Together, they felt themselves soaring through the skies, entangled in each other's arms as they soared by the glimmering clouds in their red sky. At this point, his breathing was so fast and heavy, Diushi could feel the rise and fall of his chest only by resting her hand on his back. A force found itself lodged in her throat, like all the air in her lungs was simply waiting to be let out in an instant. It was then she began to fall, the mass amount of terror she had felt before drowned by the complete control pleasure-full lust had taken over her body. What was this? The feeling of being completely free and yet holding an explosive knot inside you at the same time? It was as if the baggage weighing her down had disappeared from her life completely, yet the energy lodged in her throat still yearned to be set free. The feeling was so overpowering, she feared she would explode. The ground had found her again and at the sudden departure of the comforting silence that had been ringing in her ear, she realized she was letting go one last cry of pleasure. The wild flames of the torches roared along with her, now each exploding to the resemblance of a bonfire. She let her body collapse onto the floor, her chest heaving erratically, her whole body engulfed in sweat. Her insides were throbbing, and she found herself coming undone once again. Zuko collapsed beside her, having reached his peak as well, a small fire puffing out of his nostrils as he lay there, panting. The pair lay in the courtyard for the fullness of time as their hearts slowed their erratic pulsing. Diushi knew not of how long they had been there, but rather what she would do when that time ended. Seconds, minutes, hours, it would all be the same in the end. 

When that time finally happened to come, she found herself in Zuko's arms without a moment of hesitation. Her head laid buried in his chest, both their breaths leaving small clouds of steam in the chill night air, still panting quietly. She attempted to collect her composure. She must have given up in due course, finding herself giving in to the will of the stars. When they shone brightest, she would enjoy them only in her dreams, their silver light the only thing that could drift her away into slumber. As of that very moment however, it seemed as though she found that same comfort, that same trust, in someone else. She closed her eyes, letting Zuko's arms wrap around her, nursing her to what would finally be sleep.

"I love you," she heard in the distance, "Although I think I only have enough energy to tell you this time."

The feverish echo of the words made it impossible to know whether her ears deceived her, or if they had truly guided themselves to her, all the journey from the lips of her lover. A gentle kiss on her forehead was the last thing to bid her farewell before she continued to the realm of dreams. It was then that she realized her mind would have no true reason to fabricate such comforting scenarios anymore. After all, why dream of something that is already your reality.


End file.
